Computer graphics and open source pioneer, Ton Roosendaal, has been awarded an honorary degree by Leeds Met as part of our Summer Graduation celebrations.

Ton has been involved with computer graphics since the late eighties and is well known for founding the open source Blender project and pioneering new models for creating open content animation films and games.

He received his honorary doctorate in Technology at the University’s Faculty of Business & Law degree ceremony.

Innovation North Associate Dean Dr. Nick Cope introduced Mr Roosendaal and gave a brief history of his achievements. He also described his next challenge: a short animated film made in eight months with eight people.

Dr Cope praised Blender, saying that it had “extensive learning resources” adding that it was a “world-class creative tool facilitating new creative businesses.”

Mr Roosendaal said as he collected his award “Thank you very much for this incredible honour.”

The doctor says:

It’s been a tremendous day there in Leeds! The Brits love to do things with decorum and style, which was a wonderful experience to take part in. It indeed was all very Harry Potterish, but that’s only illustrating where Rowling comes from in the first place. :)

Special thanks to Dr. Nick Cope and Mike Joslin for putting this forward. It was great meeting with them, to me it was a totally unexpected honor, and was so great to see their enthusiasm embracing Blender there on the Innovation North faculty.

The picture of me holding up the scroll is when I said: “Thank you Blender developers, website admins and website makers, documenters, and all the Blender artists world-wide… this one is for you!”. And I mean that, we’re all honorable now! This is a great achievement and recognition for everyone involved with Blender and free/open source projects.